Broken Song
by PinkRaspberry
Summary: I will be with you even when you vanish off the face of this planet. We are a song, composed in thought, each note in sync with the other, made for each other, beautifully, connected, together forever.
1. Lovely Twins

Notes:

Excerpt in Britannica Encyclopedia

Silesia now lies mainly in southwestern Poland, with parts in Germany and the Czech Republic. It was originally a Polish province that became a possession of the Bohemian crown, and thus part of the Holy Roman Empire, in 1335. Because of succession disputes and the region's prosperity, there were at least 16 Silesian principalities by the end of the 15th century. It passed to the Austrian Habsburgs in 1526; it was taken by Prussia in 1742. After World War I it was divided between Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Germany. During World War II Polish Silesia was occupied by Germany and was the site of atrocities against the population by Nazi and, later, Soviet forces. In 1945 the Allied powers assigned virtually all of Silesia to Poland; today its nine Polish provinces contain almost one-fourth of Poland's population.

**Chapter 1: Lovely Twins**

"No!" "Agnise, lift your bow arm a bit higher, you must improve on your pitches." "Caspar your posture is perfect but you draw your notes too fast at this part!" A frustrated Austrian jabs his conductor's wand at the cream colored paper. "Here and here, they are half notes!" "Do I need to buy glasses for you?!" "Your beats are completely off!" "Go to the sixteenth notes faster not slower!"

The pair of Silesian twins looks down at their feet solemnly as Roderich Edelstein continues shaking his head.

"Gah, I can't say any more, I'm going to lose my voice at this point." "Honestly, I thought we had gone through this measure already."

"We are sorry Austria-san." The twins automatically say, heads still bowed, hands clenched to their sides.

"Well, sorry is not going to produce some effort." Roderich snaps back.

With a loud huff, Roderich leaves the large room in a flurry of his dark blue coat, mentally dismissing them.

The siblings don't dare look back up again until they were sure the Austrian had truly made his leave. With matching smirks, they raise their heads and stare at each other. Within seconds Agnise and Caspar burst out in peals of laughter.

"Oh, your beats are completely off and your posture is horrible, what are you a monkey?" Caspar imitates in a lofty voice waving his hands around in frantic motions.

"I can't believe he actually fell for it!" Agnise giggles, setting her dark caramel colored violin down on the white tiled floor.

"Now we can be together tomorrow, still we have to practice more but at least Agnise, you don't have to go with that horrid Prussian." Caspar smiles, hands wrapped around the slender neck of his cello.

"I know but Caspar but I'm starting to feel bad for tricking Austria-san." "He already has too many things to worry about." Agnise replies, shaking her long silky brown locks guiltily.

"Don't be." "I don't like the way that Prussian looks at you, it's like he wants to eat you rather than just meet you." Caspar says stubbornly.

Agnise just smiles and stretches her stiff limbs from standing in one position too long. "Caspar you are just being too paranoid, you think everyone is trying to hurt me." "Remember that time when little Italy-kun was just wiping some tomato off my face?" "You reacted to that as if he was dragging my dead body away for the wolves." Agnise laughs, her royal blue eyes gleaming.

Caspar's cheeks were set aflame as he began to sputter. "That's not true!" "And besides I just made a mistake…" "BLEH~!" He stuck out his tongue finding that he couldn't say anything back.

At the same moment the wide paneled oak doors opened revealing a young Hungarian woman in a long green dress and had a spotless white apron tied around her waist.

"Caspar, Agnise you have to do your chores now." Elizabeta Hedervary, smiles at the twins.

"Okay." Agnise obediently walks towards her taking one of the white aprons she was holding out.

"He makes us play his music then he makes us clean his house!" "What are we puppets?!" Caspar grumbles but takes a white apron as well.

"Caspar, watch your mouth!" Elizabeta scolds, her pretty face scrunches into a frown. "You have to grateful that at least you have a roof over your head and food to eat."

"Yes yes I know…" Caspar puffs out his cheeks giving him the impersonation of a chipmunk.

Agnise walks out into the hall tying back her hair and arranging the apron over her dove gray skirt. Picking up one of the many mops in one hand and in the other a bucket of water she turns back to the Hungarian woman.

"Hungary-san which rooms do I have to clean?" Agnise asks.

"You have to clean the drawing room and the main lobby." Elizabeta confirms taking out a small notepad from her pocket.

"And Caspar you can cover the cleaning for the lavatories." She turns back to the pouting male Silesian with a slight mischievous glint in her green eyes.

"What?! The bathrooms?!!" Caspar yelps. "Please please tell me it's not with Italy."

Agnise turns back around and decides to start in the lobby; after all it was the closest from the music room. She could hear Caspar pleading to Hungary-san behind but she paid no attention. Agnise wanted the cleaning over with. Then she could go on into the garden and daydream the rest of the warm afternoon away.

The long hallway had various oil paintings of portraits hanging on the mint colored walls trimmed with gold. Slender china vases held bouquets of blooming flowers pristine and simple. Agnise stopped at her favorite painting, leaning against the splintered wood handle of the mop.

The painting depicted a young girl in a flowering meadow background. To Agnise, the girl looked so carefree and beautiful. Long silky locks of sunshine draped on her shoulders, her sloping forehead was slightly turned away from the viewer, so that all you could see was the girl's right cheek, full red lips, and nose. Her eyes were wide, a crystalline green that seemed to reflect the bright blue sky. One slender hand was outstretched in front of her, each finger trailing behind the other. It looked like the girl was beckoning the viewer to join her, a place that didn't know time or hardships.

Agnise wanted to join her, to take her hand and live in a place of everlasting spring. She knew that would never become true. Her life was here, scrubbing an Austrian's house and playing his composed music. Still it didn't hurt just to dream and wish.


	2. Meeting

**Chapter 2: Meeting**

Agnise dragged the heavy bucket filled with soapy water into the large lobby; the familiar walls of light peach greeted her eyes as she set the bucket down at the center of the room. Then picking up the mop Agnise dumped it into the metal bucket soaking the head. Taking the heavy handle, she began to move it back and forth over the marbled floor picking up the dust and grime.

She grimaced at how the splinters in the wood tore harshly into the soft flesh of her hands. Small pricks of scarlet blood coated her palms. She didn't get how little Italy-kun was able to handle the annoying pain. Agnise knew she should have gotten blisters by now however her skin seemed to refuse to bunch up into those hard raised lumps of flesh.

A gruff voice broke her train of thoughts; startled, Agnise quickly looked up in time to see Roderich walk into the room having a deep conversation with a familiar looking man. She shivered at the sight of him, his sleek hair was so blonde it looked white and his eyes shone an unearthly dark ruby red. He was handsome but seemed unnatural and almost spectral like with the contrast of his pale skin to the black tailed coat he was wearing.

Biting her lower lip she stopped what she was doing and lowered her gaze, showing respect. The man seemed to notice her immediately thereby leaving Roderich to stop mid-sentence and look over to see what had caught the Prussian's attention.

"Aha, so this is little Agnise?" The Prussian smiled at her, his lips curving slightly. His red eyes didn't leave her as he spoke over his shoulder to the Austrian who was a few steps behind him.

Roderich had an odd expression on his face, a mixture of pride, frustration, and fear. It vanished the moment he looked over at Agnise and was just replaced by annoyance. Almost as if he didn't want her to be there with the Prussian present.

"Yes yes, Agnise this is Gilbert Beilschmidt." Roderich introduced quickly.

With the Prussian's gaze still lingering on her, the Austrian made a little impatient shooing gesture behind him at the Silesian.

Agnise forced a smile on her face. "It's a pleasure to meet you Prussia-san." "I am sorry but I must take my leave."

She leaned over to the metal bucket of water; her fingers wrapped around the handle then cold leather clad fingers cupped her chin gently lifting her head. A finger of ice trails down the length of her spine causing her to shudder and set all of her nerves of the edge. Until now she had avoided looking directly at the Prussian but now she felt so exposed and vulnerable as his eyes roam over her face. Not only that, he was very tall, her head only came up to his upper stomach. Agnise felt afraid, she didn't want to be here with him, and she felt a sudden strong urge to run away as far as she could.

"You're a pretty one… how lucky you are Roderich….having such a big house to yourself with two lovely ladies." Gilbert's curious smile turns into a cocky smirk.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about Elizabeta of course; she sure looks like she changed."

Roderich ignores the slur, and doesn't show he cared about it at all, other than the faintest blush that covered his cheeks.

"Gilbert kindly let go of Agnise so she may carry on her other duties." The Austrian said firmly regaining his composure.

Gilbert laughs but releases her from his iron grip, trailing a stray strand of her long brown hair between his thumb and index finger at the last second.

Agnise quickly pulled away before the Prussian could do anything else. Snatching the bucket she began to walk towards the door.

"Well then, I'm looking forward to meeting her formally tomorrow, along with her brother."

"About that…….."

Agnise had already closed the great doors behind her shutting out Roderich's voice but she knew the Austrian was telling the Prussian about the extra practice lesson. Feeling greatly relived at this thought, she headed down the hallway into the drawing room speedily mopping the floor. After a moment later Agnise tossed the cleaning tools into a storage closet without a second thought she went outside to the garden.

The sun was high in the clear blue sky filled with white puffy clouds that reminded her of the ice cream Roderich had once bought for her and her brother. There was a light breeze which lifted her hair and filled her nose with the scents of the growing plants. It relaxed her tense back and all of her worries were long forgotten. She walked down the neatly cobbled stone path until she came to a wooden bench near the red rose bushes that Roderich liked so much. A stone fountain was a few feet away from the bench the carved forms of a fairy surrounded by different animals. Plopping down on the bench she let out a long contented sigh and closed her eyes letting her mind wander.

"Feliciano Vargas, don't eat that!"

"Vee~ But tomatoes are tasty and I am hungry."

"Yes yes I know, I'll make pasta for you later but those tomatoes aren't ripe yet." "See they're green around the sides."

"Ahh~ I see……but I'm so hungry."

"You're always hungry Ita-chan."

Agnise opened her eyes at the sound of the voices. She could tell Hungary-san was working in the vegetable patch with Italy-kun. She wondered where her brother was. After all he was with Italy-kun cleaning the bathrooms. Rather it was Feliciano making the mess and Caspar cleaning up after him. Italy-kun had told her once, that he also had a sibling. Agnise had asked him if they were alike he replied in appearances yes but in personalities not really. Italy-kun said that his brother Romano was rougher and gets annoyed easily.

She smoothed out the folds of her dress as pair of hands clasped themselves over her eyes blocking her vision.

"Guess who?" A familiar sounding voice sang out into the air.

"Caspar!" Agnise laughed grabbing his wrists and pulling his hands away, all the while twisting around to see her brother's smiling face. His shining gray eyes reflected his seemingly always positive mood.

"Bingo~!" Caspar walked around and squeezed himself next to her on the bench.

"So my lovely sister, how was your cleaning in the lobby and drawing room?"

Agnise was just about to reply when a bundle of white threw himself into her lap.

"Vee~ Agnise-san." Feliciano beamed up at her, wrapping his small fingers around her hand.

She smiled at him adjusting the fluffy maid cap he wore on top of his chocolate colored hair.

"How are you Italy-kun?" She asked with while brushing his silky hair off his forehead.

"I'm fine but very hungry….." Feliciano whined.

"Alright, let's go inside for lunch." Elizabeta called behind her shoulder while heading through the doors of the mansion.

Agnise placed Feliciano on the ground taking his small hand in her own while grasping Caspar's arm.


	3. Caspar

**Chapter 3: Caspar **

The silence was so loud Caspar felt like his head was about to burst. It was always like this. It was always quiet when Austria was present. Even the slightest sounds the silverware made on the china plates made him wince. Although Austria had never raised his voice to any of them, just the way he chooses his words and the way he looks at you, made anyone uncomfortable, ashamed. Yes, one should be very careful around that man.

"Agnise, Caspar I'm sorry to say Gilbert cannot meet you two as planned." Roderich had spoken up while he cut through his bread.

"As planned?" Caspar thought surprised at how Austria had said it, and felt dread crawl over his neck.

"When I told him about the extra music practice he told me he was interested in seeing you both play." Roderich continued spearing his bread and lifted it to his mouth, chewing.

"You mean he will be present when we are having our music lesson?" Agnise questioned, her voice betraying slight irritation. She had suddenly gone very stiff her knife and fork placed down next to her half-eaten plate of salad.

Roderich nodded after swallowing he turned his attention to some ham. "Yes, because Gilbert will be there I have to get you both some new clothing."

Caspar couldn't believe what he had just heard. The Austrian had hardly wasted a penny on any of his servants not even in the dead of winter forcing everyone to patch up their old clothing. Agnise still looked grim and tightlipped.

"May I be excused Austria-san?"

"Yes."

Agnise left the dining room abandoning her food and closed the door behind her quietly. Caspar was still shocked by what Roderich had said had had not thought too much about his sister's strange behavior. But now as he thought about it maybe something was wrong? Something must have happened. Feliciano happily dug into his plate of ham and colorful vegetables oblivious to what was going around him. Elizabeta had stopped eating, her fork was left stuck on top her slice of bread. Her green eyes were narrowed creating small creases between her eyebrows.

"By Gilbert…do you mean the Prussian, Gilbert Beilschmidt?"

"Yes."

"Roderich, you have to be careful."

"Whatever do you mean Elizabeta dear?"

"That man tends to ask for what he wants and always gets it……..including his new boss." "They are getting power hungry Roderich, and I am afraid of that."

The Austrian threw back his head and merely chuckled at her words.

"Oh, Elizabeta I know you despise Gilbert but don't hold it against him." "He just wants to meet them. That's all." Roderich concluded.

Caspar finished eating but he was still digesting the information he had just heard.

After the meal was over, he quickly went up the circling grand staircase upstairs to where their rooms were. Heading down the hallway Caspar stopped at the familiar second door to the left turning the brass doorknob and finding Agnise sitting near the wide paneled window. The dapples of sunlight illuminated her face and created sharp red highlights in her brown hair. She looked up the moment he had walked in. Her worried expression had already had him talking.

"Agnise, what's troubling you so?" Caspar walked to her sitting besides his beloved twin.

"I-I'm afraid of that man……Gilbert…" She managed to say while wringing her hands in her lap.

"Is that all?" Caspar said lightheartedly while smiling. "There is nothing to fear from that accursed Prussian as long as I am here…I'll protect you no matter what happens."

Agnise sighed then looked at her brother. "I know that you always remind me." "But what if you were not there for me as so visa versa I was not there for you?"

"Stop fretting, we are going to pull through this okay?" "Strike it head on, together." Caspar said firmly and confidently as he took her slender hand in his own, brushing the pad of his thumb over her knuckles.

Agnise smiled then nodded. "Alright, Caspar I believe you."

Caspar grinned then looked out the window, where he saw the head butler preparing a carriage.

"Then, I guess we have to head outside to get our much anticipated new clothing." He said before leaving the room.


	4. Roderich Edelstein

**Chapter 4: Roderich Edelstein **

Roderich sat on the plush velvet upholstery of the seats inside of the carriage as he looked across at the identical twins then had been there already waiting patiently for him to arrive.

Of all the jumbled thoughts in his head he was confused at how enthusiastically Gilbert had responded to the extra music lesson. Roderich was sure he was politically a busy man, and thought he would fall disappointed and reschedule the meeting. Instead this had happened. Why was Gilbert so drawn to Silesia? The people worked hard and the land was rich in minerals but the twins belonged to him, Austria. So Roderich had nothing to worry about, still there was a small twinge in his gut that told him otherwise echoing Elizabeta's warning. That was not logical; if Prussia was rising to power Austria should treat the country as a friend and hope to be in good terms.

The carriage began to move with a shaking start as the driver cracked the whip. The twins sat in silence occasionally a glace passed between them. There was no point in starting a conversation with them, they would usually give him blank stares or answer in short sentences that ended the talk. They were very close with each other ever since they were young; it surprised Roderich for he had fought often with his own siblings and admittedly they all hated each other.

Agnise was perfectly still her profile was turned slightly away as her royal blue eyes observed the passing scenery from the pane glass window.

Caspar was fiddling with around with a stray thread that had unraveled from the cuff of his white sleeve.

The mansion's property fell far behind them as the colorful spring flowers dotted the green hillsides leading them into the town.

The carriage came to a halt in front of a large store that was fancy cursive gold letters and large windows showcasing mannequins wearing the beautiful and elaborate clothing.

Opening the door, a small bell announced their arrival Roderich stepped inside with Agnise and Caspar right behind him. A pleasantly plump woman approached them, from behind racks of dresses smiling as she stopped in front of Roderich.

"Roderich it's been such a long time since you came!" She trilled positively beaming.

"It's wonderful to see you again Sophia, I would like your assistance again to find some appropriate clothing for them." Roderich smiled as he gestured to the twins behind him.

"Ah…so this is Agnise and Caspar I take it?" "My my how fast they've grown!" Sophia exclaimed looking the twins over with a professional eye.

Roderich nodded smiling all the while.

"Okay then, Agnise how about we start with you?" She clapped her hands together enthusiastically. "You're such a pretty girl how about we do some light reds or tones of blue?" While she looked at Agnise's rather dull gray dress.

Agnise looked weary as she glanced at the thousands upon thousands of dresses that seem to take over the entire shop. Hundreds upon hundreds dresses were colored all different shades of red and blue all the sleeves or hemlines and other things were completely different.

"Do I have to try on all of them?" She asked meekly.

"Of course, a lady should wear the most perfect dress!" Sophia said sternly while throwing a look at Roderich that plainly said how could you have not taught this girl these things?

Roderich just shrugged as he watched the lady begin to throw dresses into Agnise's arms.

Another female helper came to Caspar; she was very red in the face and seemed shy as she spoke in a small voice.

"Umm…Madame Sophia told me to help you....she believes tones of green or blue will suit you well…." The blushing girl looked up at him then quickly placed her vision squarely back on her shoes.

"Ah of course lead the way." Caspar replied, smiling.

Meanwhile Agnise had come out of the dressing room with ushering Madame Sophia raining compliments all over the place. She automatically shot a death glare over to Caspar daring him to laugh at her as she approached Roderich in a dark blue dress with a lacy neckline, a large bow fastened on to her back, with bunches of white ruffles trimming the bottom, small swirls of black stitched rose designs. The tight black laced bodice made it hard to walk and so Agnise took small tottering steps until Roderich had reached out and took her arm helping her skip the last five steps.

Roderich looked Agnise over wondering if it was too modest or showy. Elizabeta could have helped but she wasn't very good with dresses she tended to throw on whatever then fly out the door. Agnise seemed to have picked up this trait from the Hungarian because all she wore was gray, white, and black. Not much of a difference in her color palette but efficiently hid any patches or rips. Partially of Agnise's lack of knowledge for feminine qualities was his fault. Roderich hadn't really pressed the issue rather just hired a tutor whom she had quickly became bored of.

He nodded his approval, wordlessly turning to Madame Sophia who beamed then took Agnise away.


End file.
